OATMEAL PEANUT BUTTER PROTEIN BALLS

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Protein Balls are made with oats, peanut butter, honey, flaxseed, Rice Krispies, coconut oil and vanilla. These are healthy, filling and the best protein ball recipe that I’ve ever tried!

Lately I have really been trying to make sure that I get enough protein each day and I’ve also been making a huge effort to get more protein into my kids too! This can really be a struggle, especially since I have a couple of kids who are extremely picky eaters and don’t really like any type of meat! I know, I know – what’s wrong with them?!? The answer to this dilemma? Oatmeal Peanut Butter Protein Balls! They are the perfect high protein snack that is both filling and delicious!

I can serve my kids a couple of protein balls along with some fruit for a quick and easy breakfast and I love that it keeps them full for hours! These protein balls are extremely filling and are so easy to take with you as an on-the-go snack and my kids love to pack a few in their school lunches also. When you are busy and don’t have time to sit down and eat a full meal, you can just grab a couple protein balls on your way out the door and have all the energy you need for a few hours without feeling hungry!

Do you have to bake protein balls?

No, you do not have to bake protein balls! One of my favorite parts about this snack is that there is no baking or cooking involved at all! Just mix everything together and roll into balls. This recipe is so easy that my kids can all make them without any help and I love having lots of helpers to shape all of the balls!

Are protein balls the same as energy balls?

Protein balls and energy balls/energy bites are one and the same! I have found quite a few recipes for protein balls and quite a few for energy balls/energy bites and as far as I can tell, they are exactly the same thing, just called by different names. These protein balls provide a great combination of fats, carbs and fiber to help you stay full and give you long-lasting energy! My favorite thing about these protein balls is that they are so filling even though they are small!

How many calories are in each protein ball?

There are 133 calories in each protein ball. There are 7 grams of fat, 13 grams of carbs and about 3 grams of protein in each ball. Plenty of calories to give you energy for a long time – just don’t plan on eating dozens of them every day if you want to stay within a reasonable calorie range!

Do Oatmeal Peanut Butter Protein Balls taste good?

These Oatmeal Peanut Butter Protein Balls are different from other recipes because they are so much yummier than other recipes I’ve tried! A couple of years ago, I tried several different protein ball recipes trying to find one that was pretty healthy and one that all of my kids (and me!) would eat.

I did some experimentation and came up with this recipe. I was shocked when I first tasted it because it really tastes very similar to traditional no-bake cookies. You know, the ones that have like 2 cups of sugar and chocolate in them? I’ve had so many people eat these and say the same thing! These are so yummy!

Why this protein balls recipe is different than other ones out there:

I think one of my favorite things about this recipe is the addition of Rice Krispies – it adds a wonderful crunchiness without adding any weird flavors.

A lot of the recipes out there actually have protein powder in them which obviously adds more protein, but it’s often accompanied by that protein powder taste that I don’t love and my kids won’t touch.

Many similar recipes also add in mini chocolate chips, which you are welcome to do, but they are really so good without them! I’m really glad I didn’t start making them with chocolate chips because then my kids wouldn’t want to eat them plain. But since I started making them this way, they don’t know any better! I know, I know – I’m one of those “mean” moms!

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Protein Ball ingredients

2 cups quick oats

1 cup Rice Krispie cereal

1 cup ground flaxseed

1 cup peanut butter

2/3 cup honey

2 Tbsp coconut oil*

2 tsp vanilla extract

*(I use the liquid coconut oil for this recipe, but if you use regular coconut oil, make sure to melt it down to a liquid before adding it in!)

How to make Oatmeal Peanut Butter Protein Balls

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Scoop out the batter and then roll it into a ball between your hands. (If you use a cookie scoop, all your balls will be the same size!)

Place the protein balls in the refrigerator for about 20-30 minutes to set up. (You can eat them right away but they are better cold!)

How do you store protein balls?

I usually make a batch every week or two and then keep the protein balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator. My kids will often put a couple in their lunches and they will eat one or two as an after-school snack. Although I store them in the fridge, they are fine to eat at room temperature and I actually can’t decide if I like them better cold or not! They are absolutely delicious either way.

What kind of oats do you use in Peanut Butter Protein Balls?

I use quick oats in this protein ball recipe because I think that the texture is a little bit more palatable and easier to chew. I keep intending to try the recipe with old-fashioned oats just to see how different they are. I’m guessing that the taste would be similar, but the consistency would be quite a bit chewier.

Can you make protein balls without peanut butter?

Yes, you can make these protein balls without peanut butter. In my house, we absolutely love peanut butter and prefer it to other nut butters, so that is all I have ever personally tried with this recipe. I do have a friend who made them almond butter and said that they were wonderful, so I’m assuming you could easily swap most types of nut butters into this recipe. You can still enjoy all of the benefits of the high protein content by using another nut butter.

Can you change the ingredients of this protein ball recipe?

One of my favorite things about recipes like these is the versatility and the ease in which you can swap out many of the ingredients, or even add some of your favorites. There are a lot of ways you can make this protein ball recipe “your own.” Obviously some of these changes will alter the taste a bit, but you can easily make this recipe adaptable for you and and your family – the possibilities are endless!

As mentioned before, you can swap the peanut butter with other nut butters

Add little bits of dried fruit or you could just add raisins if you don’t want to do any dicing!

You can also add chocolate chips if you want a little bit of extra sweetness!

For a little bit more protein, you can add some chia seeds or a little bit of protein powder for an extra nutritional boost.

Comments

Could you please tell me what the nutritional information is on these oatmeal peanut butter protein balls? I am interested in the calories, carbs, and how many grams of protein. Thank you so much. These look yummy!

Kathy – if you like flax seeds, I’m sure it would taste fine but if you aren’t used to them, it might not be so palatable. If you have flax seeds, you can always place them in the blender to grind them up if you don’t have ground flaxseed on hand.